Public Health Case Count Falls Further, Economic Impact Worsens The trailing seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases and related deaths has continued to decrease according to data from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Through Saturday, new cases for the previous seven days averaged 7,422 per day, while associated deaths had fallen to five. Clearly, the mass testing and lockdowns across most major cities in China have quickly brought the situation under control. Nonetheless, the price to do so, both in terms of human impact and economic pain, has been steep. Reports suggest Shanghai is beginning to loosen movement restrictions and quarantine protocols after its nearly two-month long isolation and testing campaign. I...
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.